1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of baking. In particular, the invention is concerned with a dough mixing apparatus for use in a bakery laboratory in order to test formulas and ingredients, and includes an upright mixing machine, a bowl with an upstanding center pin and a pair of dough arms approximating a double helix configuration. In operation, the mixing machine rotates the arms about their axes and eccentrically about the center pin to ensure efficient kneading and rapid dough development. The preferred apparatus also includes a strain gage for monitoring the torque on the dough arms and displaying a graph on a PC monitor of the torque over time in relation to a specification curve for monitoring dough development.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical bakery for baking breads, pastries and the like includes a laboratory for testing the various formulas and ingredients. Testing is performed in the laboratory, for example, when a formula is changed or upon receiving a new batch of ingredients such as a new batch of flour.
To perform a test, a formulation is mixed in a conventional upright mixer such as a Hobart mixer. The ingredients of a selected formula or recipe are added to the bowl and mixed to form a dough. A conventional test mixer includes dough arms in the nature of a pair of spaced, straight rods that are rotated eccentrically about a center pin in the mixing bowl. The arms mix the ingredients and knead the dough until the dough is properly developed.
As those skilled in the art appreciate, this type of test mixer does not simulate realistically the dough development that occurs in a horizontal production machine. Moreover, this type of test mixer is very inefficient in that a portion of the dough often agglomerates around the center pin of the bowl and rotates thereabout without being properly kneaded. Also, a determination as to when the test dough is properly developed is strictly a subjective judgment by the operator. This judgment is based upon the look and feel of the dough.